Barrels



Dec. 6, 1960 P. THORKILDSEN BARRELS Filed Aug. 29, 1958 United States Patent BARRELS Per Thorkildsen, Vadfoss St., near Kragero, Norway Filed Aug. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 753,229

4 Claims. (Cl. 217-76) The present invention relates to barrels, especially suitable for pickled herrings, having a cylindrical shell made from plywood and closed at each end by a pressfitting closure cover or head comprising an inwardly arched central portion with an axially extending circumferential rim.

The object of the invention is to provide a barrel of the type above defined which can be closed and sealed in an easy and effective manner simply by pressing the head into the open end of the shell without the need of separate securing means for said head.

According to the invention there is provided a barrel suitable for pickled herrings, having a cylindrical shell made from plywood and a press-fitting closure cover or head for each end thereof comprising an inwardly arched central portion with an axially extending circumferential rim, each end of the inner surface of the shell having formed therein circumferentially extending grooves whose depth decreases progressively from the end of the shell inwardly thereof so that the bottoms of the grooves at each end coincide with an inwardly tapering cone, the said rim of each cover or head having an inwardly tapering surface so adapted with respect to the bottoms of the grooves that when the head is forced into the end of the shell, the material of the shell between said grooves is compressed and fits itself to the outer surface of the rim to provide a tight seal therewith, the rim of each cover or head at its outer end being formed with a radially directed flange adapted to bear against the respective end surface of the shell, each said flange having at the circumference thereof, an inwardly directed cylindrical portion adapted to surround the respective outer end portion of the shell, one head being provided with at least one closeable opening for the escape of air from theshell when applying the head thereon.

By way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a barrel embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section to an enlarged scale through the connection between the head and shell; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section to an even greater scale through the end portion of the wall of the shell prior to insertion of the head.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the cylindrical shell of the barrel which is made from plywood. Stiffening rings 2 may be provided on the outer surface of said shell as shown.

At each end of the shell 1 the inner cylindrical surface thereof is provided with circumferential grooves 3 from the outer edge inwardly for a distance adapted to the axial length of an axially extending rim 6 of a closure cover or head 4.

The depth of the grooves 3, which may be formed in any convenient way such as by pressing, decreases progressively from the end of the shell inwardly of the shell so that the bottoms thereof coincide with an 1nwardly tapering cone as indicated by the line x in Fig. 3. Said grooves, which preferably have triangular crosssection, may be formed as a conventional screw thread, or as individual circular grooves, preferably of a width which progressively decreases inwardly of the shell.

Each of the covers or heads 4 comprises an inwardly arched central portion 5 with the axial outwardlyprojecting rim 6 at the circumference thereof. At its outer end the rim 6 is provided with a radial flange portion 7 adapted to bear against the end of the shell 1 and limit the insertion of the head 4. At its circumference said flange 7 has an inwardly directed cylindrical portion 8 adapted to surround the outer end portion of the shell 1, preferably with a stiffening ring 2, thereon.

The outer surface 6' of the rim 6 of the head 4 tapers inwardly from the flange 7, the conicity being substantially similar to or slightly smaller than the cone indicated by x coinciding with the bottom of the grooves 3. The greatest diameter of said rim surface 6 is a little smaller than the diameter of the groove adjacent the end of the shell.

When the head or cover 4 above described is pressed into the open end of the shell 1 the material thereof between the grooves 3 is compressed and forms a seat which fits accurately to the outer surface 6 of the rim 6 so that a perfect seal is obtained.

In order to allow air to escape from the barrel and make it possible topress the head 4 into position, at least one screw threaded hole 9 is formed through the central portion 5 of the head and is sealed by a screw bung 10, which is unscrewed before the head is pressed in and put back when the head is seated.

Extensive tests have shown that a head of the structure above described procures an effective and safe seal and possesses a strength which resists any strain to which the barrel may be exposed during use. Even if a barrel, during loading or unloading, is dropped on the end edge and thereby subjected to high local strain, this will have no effect on the seal between the shell and head, as such strain is taken up by and distributed through the head portions 7 and 8 surrounding the end of the shell without causing any relative movement of the sealing surfaces between the shell and head.

Preferably the head is produced from compressed fibre material, such as chips, small wood, pieces and the like, which after addition of an adhesive, are pressed in a mould at suitable pressure and temperature, whereby the resulting head possesses a certain elasticity.

The hole 9 in the head 4 allows escape of air from the barrel during the pressing in of the head, and after the hole is closed by means of the bung 10 any attempt to remove the head, such as by impact of the contents of the barrel against the same, is opposed by the vacuum created in the interior of the barrel at the same time as the central portion 5 of the head yields more or less outwardly increasing thereby the contact pressure between the rim 6 of the head and the inner circumference of the shell.

A further advantage of the closeable hole 9 in the head is that subsequent introduction of pickle, if necessary, can easily be effected through said hole.

I claim:

1. A barrel suitable for pickled herrings, having a cylindrical shell made from plywood and a press-fitting closure cover or head for each end thereof one head being provided with at least one closable opening for the escape of air from the shell, said closure cover comprising an inwardly arched central portion with an axially extending circumferential rim, each end of the inner surface of the shell having formed therein circumferentially extending grooves whose depth decreases progressively from the end of the shell inwardly thereof so that the bottoms of the grooves at each end coincide with an inwardly tapering cone, the said rim of each cover or head having an inwardly tapering surface so adapted with respect to the bottoms the grooves that when the head is forced into the end of the shell, the material of the shell between said grooves is compressed and fits itself to the outer surface of the rim to provide a tight seal therewith, the rim of each cover or head at its outer end being formed with a radially directed flange adapted to bear against the respective end surface of the shell, each said flange having at the circumference thereof an inwardly directed cylindrical portion adapted to surround the respective outer end portion of the shell.

2. A barrel according to claim 1, in which the said grooves at each end of the shell have the form of a screw-thread.

3. A barrel according to claim 1, in which the grooves at each end of the shell are individual circular grooves, preferably of a width which progressively decreases inwardly of the shell.

4. An improved barrel having closable air venting means for holding pickled herring comprising a cylindrical shell composed of a compressible, liquid-proof 25 material and having end portions with interior circumferential grooves of progressively diminishing depths and widths forming ridges of progressively diminishing heights and increasing widths, the bottoms of said grooves at each shell end defining an inwardly converging cone-shaped section, and end closure covers each comprising a circular plate-like member having an inwardly tapering inner rim defining a cone section complementary to the cone shaped section defined by said groove bottoms, said coned rims and the grooves cooperating with the ridges when the closure is forcibly inserted into said end portion, meeting decreasing resistance from the ridges of diminishing height and increasing width, the coned shaped rim compressing said ridges to form an unbroken liquid-proof sealing engagement between said end section and said closure cover throughout substantially the entire axial extent of said rim, said closure cover being retained in place in said end section by the compressed ridges, and said closure covers each having an outer radial flange with an axially extending cylindrical portion for enclosing an exterior end portion of said shell to provide positioning stops for the closure covers and for reinforcing the shell end portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 166,735 Walworth Aug. 17, 1875 412,534 Otto Oct. 8, 1889 1,815,970 Eggerss July 28, 1931 

